Step by Step Instructions

Step 1. Select the Creative Expressions garden frame singles stamp or use one of the other similar square stamp designs in the range. Also choose a small embellishment & ribbon to suit the tones used in the project, there are a whole array of embellishments & ribbons which are available in the Creative Expressions range. Here the olive ribbon & the pink dazzlers are used.

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Step 2. Take a piece of A4 coconut card & lay it in a landscape position. Measure 9.9cms & then at the 19.8cms & draw a line downwards (or just measure another 9.9cms from the 1st measurement if that is easier for you). Measuring these figures will leave the final section of 9.9cms at 29.7cms width of a piece of A4 card. Please be aware that some card stock may differ but you would then just draw & cut at the 29.7cms point.

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Step 3. Turn the card into a portrait position & use the same 9.9cms & 19.8cms measurements. Now you`ll have a 1.2cms tab running down the edge, this will become the tab to be used to cover the handle section.

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Step 4. Have the card back in a landscape position & with the tab along the top. Draw a 1cm line either side of the top centre box with diagonal pointed ends to create a tab effect. Set aside for later.

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Step 5. Now take a 2nd piece of card in a portrait position & measure and draw a line 1cm down. Then measure 9.9cms , draw a line & then make another line 1cm down from the last measurement. Then to work the measurements across the card. Mark & draw a line at 9.9cms & then at 19.8cms ,again leaving a 1.2cms tab at the edge.

This piece will become the base & a side panel to make the large square bag out of A4 card by joining them together.

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Step 6. Draw diagonal lines in the 2nd top edge box to make the tab effect & do the same on the 1cm tab below. Mark with a `X` in the 1cm tab areas as this will show you where to cut & help to make sure you don`t cut off the wrong tab.

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Step 7. Go ahead & cut the tabs out by just cutting along the diagonal line made on the tab.

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Step 8. For a neat finish cut down to this diagonal point using a guillotine. Make sure you go slowly when you are near to the diagonal point.

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Step 9. Once you reach that point the excess tab will easily come away. Repeat this on the other edge to complete the piece.

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Step 10. Repeat the process with the large piece of A4 card cutting around the tabs & removing the excess top & bottom box . Also the top & bottom 1.2 cms tab will be removed when cutting the boxes out.

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Step 11. Now the card is cut out the basic shape is formed. Add the whole square over the other whole square on the other piece of card to make the basic shape of the bag.

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Step 12. Go in and score all the pencil lines & once that is done you can rub out the pencil markings. Crease all the folds up & burnish the folds with a bone folder as this will give them a nice crisp finish. Fold the flap in the opposite direction as these are going to be made into a flap for the ribbon to be added too and will be on the outside of the box at the moment.

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Step 13. Line both side panels with the 1.2cms tabs together, so one is directly under then other. Use the `Spellbinders tool in one` pokey tool to pierce through the 2 layers & into a turned over piece of cut`n`dry foam as the back will take the point of the tool into it. Here the measurement of the piercing is 2.5cms in from both edges.

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Step 14. Using this techniques means the ribbon will be added in the place on the opposite side of the bag. It`s funny but doing this by eye and having the measurement slightly out will make a big difference.

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Step 15. Cut 2 pieces of ribbon to a nice length to make the handles for the bag. Here 2 pieces 25cms ribbon long are used.

Now for something a bit different. Lining the reverse of the ribbon with micro beads . This will stiffen the ribbon slightly but also just give a nice feel to the piece.

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Step 16. Take a strip of double sided tape ~ Ideally the same width as the ribbon and the red line wonder tape is perfect for this. If not use regular DST. With the sticky side up just fold the edge of the tape under & secure to the work surface below. (Make sure it`s not on the best dining room table !!!) This will just keep the tape straight which help when adding the ribbon.

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Step 17. Pull the ribbon tort so that when it`s laid down on the ribbon it is nice & smooth. This is easily done but may differ if the ribbon is stored folded up rather than one a reel. The ribbon can often be lifted up off the tape if you don`t feel it`s laid straight.

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Step 18. Here a slightly wider tape was used, so just lay the ribbon along the top edge of the tape so the excess is on just one edge of the ribbon.

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Step 19. Fold the tape back up onto the ribbon for a neat finish.

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Step 20. Place the ribbon in a tub & sprinkle over the Creative Expressions micro beads.

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Step 21. Press the micro beads into the tape on the ribbon as this will give a nice coverage to the piece.

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Step 22. Here is the completed piece. Repeat on the 2nd piece of ribbon.

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Step 23. Place the garden frame stamp onto a large acrylic block & ink it using the black archival ink pad. Use nice taps of the ink so that you don`t ink any of the centre of the stamp as you`ll be stamping directly onto the card cut out & you don`t want to transfer any loose ink the centre.

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Step 24. Usethe 2 square panel piece with tabs. Stamp one square directly onto the card & then add the other square to the top panel. This is going to act as the centre lining to the gift bag and will save you some paper but give you a wonderful design feature.

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Step 25. So here is the stamped design on the small panel. The stamp is the perfect size so it will easily stamp in the space. Leave the tabs blank.

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Step 26. Continue and stamp the other 3 panels on the larger piece leaving the centre panel clear as this will be covered with the smaller panel.

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Step 27. Now comes the relaxing part of colouring the design in or it could be left as the blank image as it is so pretty. Scribble the Tim Holtz distress markers onto a piece of white card which has been added inside a cello bag. This will make a nice palette so you can see exactly what colour is being used when colouring the design in.

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Step 28. Alternatively use some green tone distress ink pads and press them onto the palette. Pick the colours up on a water brush. Just mix and match any distress inks you have, you may have a few ink pads ,markers or the new mini inks pads so just use which ones needed and build your range as you find colours you really like, then you can get them in each format as and when as you find lots of uses for each pen or ink pad.

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Here is the completed project which will be completed next week. Previously a square box has been made with a Spellbinder expandable die for the lid section. Why not combine this workshop & make the square frame design & the go ahead & add the lid to this piece for create a lidded box. Great for giving a small gift which could be filled with some crafty goodies. How popular would you be !!!

This is fabulous Suzanne – you are a clever thing! Life so hectic I wonder if I’ll ever have time to craft again! Allotment and family, but mostly music – so much rehearsing. Three concerts and two to go before 19th then it should all go quiet until the Autumn. All these projects I put into a folder on my external hard drive – so that gorgeous stamp will have to go on my list… love Susan X